A queue of soap fans eagerly waited for actress Pam St Celement in Reading on Friday when she visited to sign copies of her autobigraphy.

The actress who played Pat Butcher in EastEnders for 26 years came to Waterstones in Broad Street where she launched The End of an Earring and spoke about what she's been up to since leaving the programme.

"In the first year I did all sorts of bits and pieces," said Pam who left EastEnders in January 2012.

"I joined the team on This Morning, they created an animal slot especially for me.

"I did some drama, I went on Loose Women, but mainly I wrote the book.

"It's been so much a part of my brain, it engrossed my brain for a year in the writing and then it took nearly as long to edit it and it only went on the shelves yesterday."

The 72-year-old also spent three months travelling, writing in France and visiting family in Australia.

"France was deliberately chosen because it was quiet - I could get my brain together.

"When I came out of EastEnders I thought I would like to look back and reflect on my life.

"While I was in the show I forgot myself a bit, not that I lived as my character the whole time.

"It wasn't soul searching but my life was like a jigsaw puzzle that a child had thrown around and I needed to put the pieces together."

Pam's character Pat died on New Year's Day three years ago, shortly after being diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.

She will be taking part in the soap's 30th anniversary celebrations which will start on Monday, February 16.